Find out how popular the last name Marker is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Marker.

Marker, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Marker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Marker in America

Marker is the 5407th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Marker surname appeared 6,438 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Marker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Marker to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Marker

The surname Marker is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known roots dating back to the 12th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "mære," meaning "boundary" or "landmark," suggesting that the name may have initially been given as an occupational surname to someone responsible for marking or maintaining boundaries or property lines.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a person named Richard le Merker is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the transition from the Old English root to its more modern form.

During the 13th century, the surname began to appear more frequently in various historical records across different regions of England. For instance, in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, a person named John le Markere is listed. This spelling variation further exemplifies the evolving nature of the name over time.

Interestingly, the surname Marker has also been associated with certain place names, such as the village of Markyate in Hertfordshire, which is believed to have derived from the Old English words "mære" and "geat," meaning "boundary gate." It is possible that some individuals with the surname may have originated from or had connections to this particular location.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Marker. One such person was William Marker (c. 1558-1624), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Carlisle from 1610 until his death. Another prominent figure was Sir John Marker (1620-1688), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Callington in Cornwall during the 17th century.

In the realm of literature, Christopher Marker (1921-2012) was a renowned French writer, filmmaker, and multimedia artist known for his influential works such as "La Jetée" and "Sans Soleil." His unique style and experimental approaches to storytelling have had a lasting impact on the world of cinema.

Additionally, the surname Marker has been associated with notable figures in various fields, including James Marker (1776-1853), an English businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Leeds, and Frederick Marker (1842-1915), a German-born American architect who designed numerous notable buildings in New York City during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Marker

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Marker.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Marker was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Marker has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Marker was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Marker, please contact us.

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